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ObamaCare Dismal on Cost, Jobs, & Welfare

Yesterday’s news cycle produced another case of ammo against Obamacare – showing that Obama’s signature law is failing on cost, jobs, and welfare.

First, BusinessWeek reports that Accountable Care Organizations (ACO’s), a promised vehicle to reduce costs by bringing hospitals and doctors together to find innovative means to save money (especially on preventive care), is not doing well. The article reports, “Thirty-two health care provider groups signed up for the pioneer program intended to promote the new model, but…only 13 of them generated enough savings to qualify for a cut. Two participants actually lost money instead. [While the article mentions some successes]…nine [companies] are slated to exit the program.”

Second, CNBC reports that “in a new survey of 300 accounting professionals, 66 percent say they expect the Affordable Care Act will make it less likely that businesses will add new employees in the next year…only two percent are more likely to add new employees.”

Lastly, the Daily Caller reports that “a new study suggests that nearly one million people could be moved from work to welfare by Obamacare.” The study conducted by professors at Columbia University, Northwestern University and the University of Chicago found that state-based individual insurance exchanges, federal subsidies, and Medicaid expansion will “weaken the link between employment and health insurance.

Way back in 2012, the United States Supreme Court, in National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius, issued a landmark ruling that upheld the supposed constitutionality of ObamaCare by justifying the individual mandate as a proper exercise of Congress’s taxing power. This is what allowed ObamaCare to continue to be a drain on our economy and the American taxpayer.

FreedomWorks Vice President of Legislative Affairs made the statements below on the recent developments at the White House concerning health insurance. Concerning Thursday’s executive order about association health plans, Jason Pye said:

Last week, four Republican senators unveiled a proposal that could present a path forward on health insurance reform. The proposal, introduced in the form of an amendment to the House-passed version of H.R. 1628, is far from perfect, and it's not the repeal of ObamaCare that was promised. Nevertheless, FreedomWorks is treating it as what is likely to be the last serious attempt at health insurance reform before the September 30 deadline for reconciliation under the FY 2017 budget resolution.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced today that it planned to reduce the budget to promote health plans available on the ObamaCare exchanges from the roughly $100 million spent during the last open enrollment period to $10 million for the upcoming open enrollment period, which is set to begin on November 1 and end on December 15. There will also be a reduction in funding for Navigators, from $62.5 million last year to $36.8 million this year.

September may be the busiest month of 2017 for Congress. There is a long list of must-pass legislation on the agenda, including the debt limit and appropriations for at least part of FY 2018, when Congress reconvenes on Tuesday, September 5. The calendar, however, isn't kind. There are only 12 legislative days scheduled in the House and 17 in the Senate.